Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mass flowmeter operating by the Coriolis principle, incorporating a fluid-conducting Coriolis conduit, at least two oscillators associated with and exciting the Coriolis conduit, as well as at least two detectors associated with the Coriolis conduit for capturing Coriolis forces and/or Coriolis-force-derived Coriolis oscillations, said Coriolis conduit permitting excitation in a first oscillation pattern and in an oscillation pattern independent of the first oscillation pattern. The invention further relates to a method for determining the mass flow employing a mass flowmeter operating by the Coriolis principle and incorporating a fluid-conducting Coriolis conduit, at least two oscillators associated with and exciting the Coriolis conduit, as well as at least two detectors associated with the Coriolis conduit for capturing Coriolis forces and/or Coriolis-force-derived Coriolis oscillations, said Coriolis conduit permitting excitation in a first oscillation pattern and in an oscillation pattern independent of the first oscillation pattern.
The above states that the mass flowmeter here discussed incorporates, inter alia, at least two oscillators xe2x80x9cassociated withxe2x80x9d the Coriolis conduit and at least two detectors xe2x80x9cassociated withxe2x80x9d the Coriolis conduit. As a rule, however, the oscillators or at least part thereof and the detectors or at least part thereof are connected to the Coriolis conduit. But since this is not an absolute must, the term xe2x80x9cassociated withxe2x80x9d is being used instead of xe2x80x9cconnected toxe2x80x9d.
There is a fundamental differentiation between Coriolis-type mass flowmeters whose Coriolis conduit is essentially straight and those whose Coriolis conduit is looped. As another differentiating feature in mass flowmeters of the type being discussed, one design concept provides for only one Coriolis conduit while other models come with two Coriolis conduits. In the design versions incorporating two Coriolis conduits, the latter may be laid out in an in-line or a parallel flow configuration.
In more recent times, flowmeters with only one essentially straight Coriolis conduit have gained predominance. In terms of their mechanical architecture, flowmeters with one straight Coriolis conduit are simpler and can be produced at a comparatively lower cost, the inner surfaces of their Coriolis conduit are easily accessible for finishing processes such as polishing, they are subject to only minor pressure drops, and they are self-purging.
Yet their many advantages notwithstanding, mass flowmeters with only one straight Coriolis conduit also pose problems in certain respects.
Mass flowmeters operating by the Coriolis principle produce direct mass-flow readings representing a true mean value across the flow profile of the fluid traveling through the Coriolis conduit. Under ideal conditions, Coriolis-type mass flowmeters, by virtue of their very operating principle, deliver readings which are not influenced by the physical characteristics of the fluid passing through the Coriolis conduit, such as thermal conductivity and thermal capacity, or process parameters such as pressure and temperature. Nevertheless, asymmetries in the mass flowmeter, attributable for instance to unavoidable production tolerances, or changes encountered over time in terms of the operating conditions such as temperature fluctuations or varying clamping parameters lead to a reduction of the measuring precision of the mass flowmeter which, due its design concept, would otherwise be very high. These problems are particularly pronounced in the case of mass flowmeters with only one straight Coriolis conduit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various attempts have been made to compensate for the effects of changing operating conditions such as temperature fluctuations or the clamping parameters of the Coriolis conduit when measuring the mass flow. For example, in the case of the above-mentioned mass flowmeter of this type (ref. DE 44 13 239 Al) the design includes provisions which, during operation, measure the intrinsic frequency of the Coriolis conduit in the Coriolis mode, by exciting the Coriolis conduit not only in its operating mode but in the Coriolis mode as well. That, however, does not completely compensate for the above-mentioned varying environmental operating parameters. Specifically, in the case of the mass flowmeter referred to only the effect of temperature changes on the density of the fluid traveling through the Coriolis conduit and the attendant change of the resonant frequency of the fluid-conducting Coriolis in the Coriolis mode are factored in. However, the parameters of the mass flowmeter such as its zero point and its sensitivity cannot be determined that way.
Other problems of mass flowmeters with only one straight Coriolis conduit derive from the fact that the oscillating components, which essentially means the Coriolis conduit proper, transfer oscillating forces or torque to the points at which the Coriolis conduit is clamped, forces which especially in the case of mass flowmeters with only one straight Coriolis conduit cannot be absorbed without a reactive effect. This can cause oscillatory energy to be asymmetrically drained from the Coriolis conduit into the environment and to be unevenly reflected back and coupled into the Coriolis conduit, or vibrations emanating from the surrounding area can be unevenly coupled into the input or output half of the Coriolis conduit, leading to correspondingly corrupted measuring results.
Attempts have been made in the prior art to solve this problem with the aid of counter-oscillations. These generally serve to compensate for housing vibrations. In this context, reference is made for instance to DE 198 40 782 A1, EP 0 598 287 A1, EP 0 759 542 A1, EP 0 831 306 and EP 0 849 568 A1. In spite of these mechanically complex counter-oscillators, the oscillatory separation of Coriolis-type mass flowmeters from the environment has so far remained unsatisfactory. There are also other problems such as the effects of pulsations, meaning continuum fluctuations of the fluid in the Coriolis conduit, on the measuring results, or irregular oscillations of the Coriolis conduit in the case of major inhomogeneities of the conducted fluid. For these reasons, parameters such as zero point and sensitivity change during operation.
It is therefore the objective of this invention to introduce both a mass flowmeter and a method for the determination of the mass flow by means of which greater accuracy and zero-point stability are attainable.
The mass flowmeter according to this invention which solves the above-described problem and meets the stated objective is typified in that characteristic values of the mass flowmeter can be determined on the basis of a model.
As stated further above, the Coriolis conduit can be excited in mutually independent oscillation patterns. Of course, this excitation in mutually independent oscillatory patterns applies not only to the Coriolis conduit alone but also to the Coriolis conduit as it conducts the fluid whose mass flow is to be measured.
It is fundamentally possible to perform the model-based determination of the characteristic values of the mass flowmeter prior to the start-up of the device or during operating stoppages. However, according to a preferred enhancement of the invention, provisions are made permitting the determination of the characteristic values of the mass flowmeter while it is in operation. This not only obviates the need for interrupting the measuring operation in order to define the characteristic values but it also makes these characteristic values available in xe2x80x9con-linexe2x80x9d fashion, i.e. in real time, allowing them to be continuously factored into the determination of the mass flow.
In a preferred, enhanced version of this invention, the Coriolis conduit can be-excited in a third oscillation pattern which is independent of the first oscillation pattern and of the second oscillation pattern, and the response of the Coriolis conduit, captured by the detectors, to the excitation in the first oscillation pattern, to the excitation in the second oscillation pattern and to the excitation in the third excitation pattern permits the model-based determination of the characteristic values of the mass flowmeter. A further enhancement of the determination of the characteristic values is attainable with the mass flowmeter according to this invention by means of provisions whereby the Coriolis conduit is additionally excitable in a fourth oscillation pattern independent of the first oscillation pattern, the second oscillation pattern and the third oscillation pattern, and as a result of the response of the Coriolis conduit, captured by the detectors, to the excitation in the first oscillation pattern, the excitation in the second oscillation pattern, the excitation in the third oscillation pattern and the excitation in the fourth oscillation pattern, characteristic values of the mass flowmeter can be determined.
For obtaining mutually independent oscillation patterns, the particularly preferred approach according to the invention is to generate the first oscillation pattern and the third oscillation pattern within an identical mode except with mutually phase-shifted oscillations, with particular preference being given to a 90xc2x0 phase shift between the first oscillation pattern and the third oscillation pattern. Correspondingly, according to the invention, it is equally desirable for the second oscillation pattern and the fourth oscillation pattern to be generated within the same mode with mutually phase-shifted oscillations, with this latter mode differing from that of the first and third oscillation patterns. According to the invention, particular preference is again given to a 90xc2x0 phase shift between the second and the fourth oscillation pattern.
It is also particularly desirable for the first oscillation pattern to be constituted of an oscillation in the operating mode of the Coriolis conduit. In like fashion, the third oscillation pattern is constituted of an oscillation in the operating mode of the Coriolis conduit, except with a phase shift of preferably 90xc2x0. It is equally desirable for the second oscillation pattern to be constituted of a Coriolis-mode oscillation of the Coriolis conduit and, correspondingly, for the fourth oscillation pattern to be constituted of a Coriolis-mode oscillation of the Coriolis conduit, except again phase-shifted relative to the former by preferably 90xc2x0.
This is a particularly simple and elegant solution whereby a mass flowmeter of this type can be excited along four independent, mutually orthogonal oscillation patterns, where two of these oscillation patterns are constituted of two oscillations that are phase-shifted relative to each other by 90xc2x0 and generated in the operating mode of the Coriolis conduit while two of the oscillation patterns are constituted of two oscillations that are phase-shifted relative to each other by 90xc2x0 and generated in the Coriolis mode of the Coriolis conduit.
It is fundamentally possible to determine numerous parameters of the flowmeter according to this invention. Particularly advantageous, however, is the fact that the zero point and the sensitivity of the mass flowmeter are definable parameters. In the final analysis, it is these parameters that play a significant, decisive role in the accurate determination of the mass flow.
Within the bounds of practical design considerations, the two oscillators and the two detectors can be positioned in any desired location. According to the invention, however, particular preference is given to the positioning of each oscillator within the same axial region as a corresponding detector. In this context, it is especially desirable to place the pairs, each consisting of an oscillator and a detector, in a location that is axially equidistant from the center of the Coriolis conduit and preferably opposite each other.
In an alternative preferred design implementation of the mass flowmeter according to this invention the two detectors are each integrated in an oscillator. This adds the benefit of reducing the number of components needed for the mass flowmeter of this invention.
Another preferred enhancement of the mass flowmeter according to the invention incorporates a digital signal processor for signal processing, regulating and control purposes.
Finally, given the above-mentioned advantages offered by Coriolis-type mass flowmeters with only one straight Coriolis conduit, a particularly preferred implementation of this invention is based on a design that employs one single Coriolis conduit which is essentially straight.
Based on the above, the Coriolis-type mass flowmeter determines parameters which must be provided as supplementary information for improving the measuring accuracy, in on-line fashion. These online-defined parameters include structural information on the internal representation of the characteristic values zero-point and sensitivity, as well as on the known delimiting factors, meaning external parameters within which the measuring process takes place.
The method per this invention which serves to solve the problems mentioned further above is typified by the fact that characteristic values of the mass flowmeter are determined on the basis of a model.
The basic concept of the method of the invention thus provides the model for the oscillating fluid-conducting Coriolis conduit which is entirely defined by those parameters that can be determined by virtue of the response of the fluid-conducting Coriolis conduit to the excitation in the mutually independent oscillation patterns.
While this model-based determination of the characteristic values of the mass flowmeter can take place prior to its start-up or during operating stoppages, it is preferable according to the invention to determine these characteristic values of the mass flowmeter while it is in operation.
In a preferred, enhanced version of this invention, the Coriolis conduit is excited in a third oscillation pattern which is independent of the first oscillation pattern and of the second oscillation pattern, and the response of the Coriolis conduit, captured by the detectors, to the excitation in the first oscillation pattern, to the excitation in the second oscillation pattern and to the excitation in the third oscillation pattern permits the model-based determination of the characteristic values of the mass flowmeter.
Additional provisions may be made whereby the Coriolis conduit is excited in a fourth oscillation pattern independent of the first oscillation pattern, the second oscillation pattern and the third oscillation pattern and the response of the Coriolis conduit, captured by the detectors, to the excitation in the first oscillation pattern, the excitation in the second oscillation pattern, the excitation in the third oscillation pattern and the excitation in the fourth oscillation pattern permits the model-based determination of the characteristic values of the mass flowmeter.
As has been explained in detail further above in the description of the mass flowmeter according to this invention, a particularly preferred approach is to generate the first oscillation pattern and the third oscillation pattern within an identical mode except with their oscillations mutually phase-shifted preferably by 90xc2x0, and to generate the second oscillation pattern and the fourth oscillation pattern within the same mode except again with their oscillations phase-shifted by 90xc2x0, but with the latter mode differing from that of the first and third oscillation patterns. The first oscillation pattern is preferably constituted of an oscillation in the operating mode of the Coriolis conduit and/or the second oscillation pattern is constituted of an oscillation in the Coriolis mode of the Coriolis conduit. In like fashion, the third oscillation pattern as well is preferably constituted of an oscillation in the operating mode of the Coriolis conduit and the fourth oscillation pattern is preferably constituted of a Coriolis-mode oscillation of the Coriolis conduit.
The method of this invention is particularly suitable for mass flowmeters with one essentially straight Coriolis conduit but is not limited thereto.